Teacher Qin Chapter 1
byChapter 1: A Woman Surnamed Qin
317594, someone is here to see you. In the long corridor of the Binhai City Maximum Security Prison, a man’s deep voice echoed for a long time. The man’s leather shoes were polished to a high shine, thudding against the concrete floor, while the bunch of keys in his hand jingled rhythmically. The two sounds combined to create a needlessly irritating noise. The man was a prison guard, likely in his forties, who had only recently been transferred up from Linqi County.
The man strode purposefully until he stopped outside the last cell in Unit D. 317594, hey, wake up, someone is here to see you. As the man turned the key, he poked his head in to look inside. He felt a certain degree of trepidation toward the person locked within; he had heard that the previous female prison guard in his position had been transferred to a desk job specifically because she had gotten into a fight with this inmate.
The higher-ups had probably transferred him here thinking that a male guard would have an advantage in managing prisoners. Thinking this, the man pushed open the cell door and walked in.
The cell contained only a hard board bed, a washstand, and a toilet. The sunlight was good today, so even without the lights on, the interior was visible.
The person on the hard bed heard the man’s approaching footsteps and reached out to tug at the blanket, showing no intention of getting up.
Ultimately, the man didn’t dare get any closer, stopping about two meters away from the bed. 317594, I advise you to stop causing trouble. Since that case had nothing to do with you, you could have been out in a few days if you had just behaved. But no, you had to go crazy and pick a fight with a guard. Now you’ve landed yourself an extra six months for nothing. When the man said this, it was unclear if he was offering a warning or mockery; perhaps it was both.
The cell was silent. The person on the bed didn’t move and offered no reaction to the man’s words. Instead, she changed the subject. What’s the date today? She had lost all concept of time long ago, feeling as though she was just existing from one day to the next.
The twenty-third, the man replied.
Oh. The hard bed creaked as the person sat up. Half of her face was visible beneath her long hair, looking pale and bloodless.
The man didn’t understand her reaction but said nothing more. Gu Yuwei stood up and walked toward him, and the man took out the handcuffs. Only after the cuffs were locked did Gu Yuwei step out of the cell.
The lingering glow of the setting sun remained outside the window, wrapping Gu Yuwei’s body in a layer of orange light and shadow that made her look ethereal.
Gu Yuwei lifted her eyelids slightly. Who is it?
Hearing her, the man walking behind her glanced at her and then said unhurriedly, It’s a woman, surnamed Qin.
Gu Yuwei didn’t speak again. She simply tilted her habitually lowered head toward the sunset, her face still devoid of any expression.
·
In June, the rain in Linqi County was endless. The fickle weather was like a person’s mood, foul to the extreme. School had already let out, yet there were still two people in the classroom of Class 1, Grade 8 at Linqi County Experimental Middle School.
Um, how about you come back with me, and I’ll give the notebook to you then. Gu Yuwei stood before a desk, gripping an umbrella with both hands. A girl sat behind the desk; her name was Tang Ya, a transfer student who had joined the school this semester.
Gu Yuwei’s voice was soft and weak, sounding somewhat cramped and uneasy. Seeing that Tang Ya didn’t speak, Gu Yuwei continued, I’m sorry. If I hadn’t forgotten your notebook, you wouldn’t have been punished by the teacher.
Tang Ya looked at Gu Yuwei and then at the notebook on the desk. This was the lines Tang Ya had been forced to copy as punishment for not turning in her homework. Of course, Gu Yuwei had only given this to her three minutes ago. Gu Yuwei had forgotten her notebook and caused her to be punished, so Tang Ya naturally wasn’t going to let her off easy.
Therefore, the punishment had undoubtedly fallen onto Gu Yuwei’s head. To prevent Gu Yuwei from forgetting the punishment lines at home again the next day, Tang Ya had simply changed the teacher’s deadline from tomorrow morning to before the end of school today. Tang Ya felt it was safer to have it in her own hands; she didn’t want to be scolded again tomorrow.
This wait had lasted until they were the only two left in the class.
Tang Ya turned to look outside. The rain pitter-pattered against the window. Tang Ya thought about it; if she got the notebook back now, it would be better to turn it in along with the punishment lines tomorrow. Besides, she hadn’t brought an umbrella. Tang Ya stood up to pack her books. You better find it. If you lost it on purpose, I’ll make you regret it! Tang Ya picked up her schoolbag and glared at Gu Yuwei.
Gu Yuwei nodded sincerely and picked up the copybook from the desk to hand it to Tang Ya. I didn’t. I really just forgot to bring it.
Tang Ya snorted coldly, took the copybook, and stuffed it into her bag. The two walked out of the classroom. After Gu Yuwei locked the door, she and Tang Ya went downstairs together.
Outside the school was a public track that had originally been a plaza in Linqi County. After a new plaza was built, this place was abandoned and became known to the locals as the Old Plaza. Gu Yuwei’s home was behind the Old Plaza, past a small tunnel about thirty meters long.
Upon reaching the tunnel entrance, Gu Yuwei closed her umbrella and shook it to clear off the rainwater.
Tang Ya glanced into the tunnel. It was her first time walking this way. Why do you live in a place like this? It’s pitch black. How much further is it? Tang Ya’s tone was complaining; she was starting to regret following Gu Yuwei.
It’s close once we pass through this tunnel, Gu Yuwei replied calmly, holding her umbrella. Tang Ya walked beside Gu Yuwei. Because of the rain, the tunnel seemed even darker.
When they were about a third of the way through, Tang Ya began to feel afraid. Hey, say something! It’s too quiet otherwise.
The tunnel was pitch black. Tang Ya received no answer from Gu Yuwei and felt a sense of dread. When she turned around, she couldn’t even see her own hand, let alone any sign of Gu Yuwei. Tang Ya panicked instantly and shouted Gu Yuwei’s name. Gu Yuwei! Hey, stop playing around!
Tang Ya’s shouts sounded hollow in the tunnel, and her footsteps became increasingly frantic. She turned around, preparing to run back toward the entrance. Gu Yuwei, if you don’t come out right now, I’m leaving! Play by yourself!
The wind in the tunnel was cold, making the terrified Tang Ya even more fearful. Suddenly, her body was hoisted into the air. Without warning, someone had grabbed her from behind. The person was very strong and reeked of a foul odor. The hand covering Tang Ya’s mouth was covered in thick calluses, feeling incredibly uncomfortable against her face.
The man’s strength caused Tang Ya to choke up instantly. She cried and struggled with all her might, but the man easily dragged her deeper into the tunnel. Her cries gradually faded away.
Outside the tunnel, Gu Yuwei held her umbrella and looked up at the gloomy sky. She turned and walked back across the Old Plaza toward the other side without looking back.
During the last period the following morning, the Grade 8, Class 1 English lesson was interrupted by the homeroom teacher who had rushed over. On the podium, Li Yulan rubbed her six-month-pregnant belly and stepped aside.
The homeroom teacher was Wu Hai, a thin middle-aged man with square glasses who taught physics.
Everyone quiet down. Wu Hai tapped the lectern, looking somewhat dejected. Class is almost over. I have an announcement. Students must pay attention to safety when traveling to and from school. It’s best to walk in groups and avoid secluded areas, including during the lunch break.
Wu Hai adjusted his glasses, his gaze flickering briefly toward the only empty seat in the class. Also, student Tang Ya is in the process of transferring schools due to certain reasons.
Whispers began to rise from the students. Wu Hai glanced at his watch and tapped the lectern again. Alright, alright, quiet down. There are five minutes left in class. Review your books quietly. Everyone be careful on your way home at noon. After speaking, Wu Hai stepped down from the podium. As he passed Li Yulan at the door, he whispered, Teacher Li, come with me for a moment.
Li Yulan looked around the classroom, said, Study on your own, and then followed Wu Hai with her protruding belly.
As the two figures disappeared down the hallway, the classroom slowly became noisy. Beside Gu Yuwei, Li Mei nudged her with an elbow and whispered, Did something happen to Tang Ya?
Gu Yuwei looked up from the weekly newspaper she was staring at. I don’t know. Probably. Li Mei shrugged and stopped talking.
While the students were home for their lunch break, the school held an emergency faculty meeting that lasted until three or four in the afternoon.
In the Grade 8 English Department office, Li Yulan was sobbing continuously. It’s my fault this happened. If I hadn’t made her stay to copy those lines, she wouldn’t have been heading home so late.
Don’t think like that. You can’t be blamed for this, Teacher Cao comforted her from the side. Fortunately, nothing too major happened because someone spotted them in time. Alright, don’t overthink it. That madman has been caught. Pay attention to your health; you have a little one to think about. You’ll be on maternity leave in a few days anyway. It’s just Tang Ya… Cao Xue shook her head and sighed. Transferring is for the best. She’s still young; a change of environment will be better for her.
Li Yulan nodded while sobbing.
News of this sort traveled fast. Students whose parents worked in relevant departments were the first to know, and within two days, it had become the subject of gossip for every student in Linqi County.
That day, Gu Yuwei arrived at school as usual. At her seat, she rested one hand on the desk while the other held half an eraser, rubbing it vigorously against the desk surface. The shavings produced by the friction grew longer and longer. Gu Yuwei intentionally controlled her movements, trying to connect the shavings that occasionally broke off.
The bell for class rang, but Gu Yuwei was so focused on her task that she didn’t notice the class had gone quiet. A new face walked in through the back door. The woman quietly circled behind Gu Yuwei and watched for a while. Finding it somewhat amusing, she felt a sudden urge to tease her.
The woman straightened her expression, turned serious, and tapped Gu Yuwei’s desk with her index finger. Is it fun?
Gu Yuwei’s hand froze. Everyone in the class looked toward the woman. The woman took the eraser from Gu Yuwei’s hand and walked up to the podium with her hands behind her back. My surname is Qin. I am your new English teacher.